The morning of 8th June comes as a sad day for most of us. Not only did the world lose Farhad Humayun to cancer but also witnessed an act of terrorism. A Muslim family was attacked in a Canadian city, London, by a Canadian man. The nine-year-old boy was the sole survivor of the 5 member family.
Muslim Familly Killed In Terrorist Attack
The witness statements are categorizing the heart-wrenching event as an act of terrorism. According to the witnesses and the police, twenty years old, Nathanial Veltman got into his vehicle when he saw the family walking about. Deciding that they did not deserve to live, he charged his vehicle towards them. The family included a married couple (46 and 44 years old), the husband’s mother (77 years old), and two children (15 and 9 years old respectively).
Twitter erupted against this terrorist and Islamophobic act as the hashtags of Islamophobia, MuslimLivesMatter, Canada, and LondonOntario began trending.
PM Pakistan & Twitter condemn the act
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the act on the family on Twitter as well. He said that this condemnable act of terrorism reveals the growing Islamophobia in Western countries. Islamophobia needs to be countered holistically by the international community.
Saddened to learn of the killing of a Muslim Pakistani-origin Canadian family in London, Ontario. This condemnable act of terrorism reveals the growing Islamophobia in Western countries. Islamophonia needs to be countered holistically by the international community.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) June 8, 2021
The masses in Pakistan also registered support for the Muslim community settled abroad. It was clear that they were frustrated because often we have seen that the western countries term such attacks as individualistic while reserving the term terrorist for Muslims.
Shhhhhhhhhh 🤫 nobody is allowed to call it a terrorist attack, the terrorism word is reserved to tag muslims only. #MuslimsLiveMatters #Islamophobia pic.twitter.com/3F7vgs4tge
— asaad ali (@asaadalii) June 8, 2021
A terrorist and hateful act in which Pakistani family has been killed in Canada by a white racist truck driver because they are Muslim. Where is @UN and Human rights champions on this issue of #Islamophobia.
May Allah bless them higher rank in Jannah, Amen😢
#MuslimsLiveMatters pic.twitter.com/b3b07IF8qh— Muhammad Maaz 🇵🇰 (@MMaazPK) June 8, 2021
Canada on the attack on the Muslim Family
However, Canada is one of those rare countries like New Zealand that does not shy away from terming white terrorists as terrorists. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared his thoughts in the following tweets.
To the Muslim community in London and to Muslims across the country, know that we stand with you. Islamophobia has no place in any of our communities. This hate is insidious and despicable – and it must stop.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 7, 2021
It starts with the acceptance of the blame. If you diagnose it right, it is only then that you start seeking the cure. It is so sad that one does not even want to think of what the nine-year-old boy will go through once he recovers from his injuries and finds that he lost his entire family. However, maybe, just maybe, people will now start paying attention to the deep-rooted Islamophobia.
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